Page:History of Greece Vol XI.djvu/44

 .18 HISTORY OF GREECE. erty must probably have occupied some months; duiing which time the army of Dionysius seems never to have quitted the Gala brian peninsula, though he himself may probably have gone for a time in person to Syracuse. It was soon seen that the depopula- tion of Hipponium and Kaulonia was intended only as a prelude to the ruin of Rhegium. Upon this Dionysius had resolved. The recent covenant into which he had entered with the Rhegines, was only a fraudulent device for the purpose of entrapping them into a surrender of their navy, in order that he might afterwards attack them at greater advantage. Marching his army to the Italian shore of the strait, near Rhegium, he affected to busy him- self in preparations for crossing to Sicily. In the mean time, he sent a friendly message to the Rhegines, requesting them to sup- ply him for a short time with provisions, under assurance that what they furnished should speedily be replaced from Syracuse. It was his purpose, if they refused, to resent it as an insult, and attack them ; if they consented, to consume their provisions, with- out performing his engagement to replace the quantity consumed ; and then to make his attack after all, when their means of holding out had been diminished. At first the Rhegines complied willing- ly, furnishing abundant supplies. But the consumption continued, and the departure of the army was deferred first on pretence of the illness of Dionysius, next on other grounds so that they at length detected the trick, and declined to furnish any more. Dionysius now threw off the mask, gave back to them their hun- dred hostages, and laid siege to the town in form. 1 Regretting too late that they had suffered themselves to be de- frauded of their means of defence, the Rhegines nevertheless prepared to hold out with all the energy of despair. Phyton was chosen commander, the whole population was armed, and all the line of wall carefully watched. Dionysius made vigoroas assaults, employing all the resources of his battering machinery to effect a breach. But he was repelled at all points obstinately, and with muo: loss on both sides : several of his machines were also burnt or destroyed by opportune sallies of the beshged. In one of the 1 Diodor. xiv 107 108. Polyaenus relates this stratagem of Dionysius about the provisions, as if it had been practised at the siege of Himera- and not of Rhegium (Polysen, v. 3, 10).